Google Posts 101: Everything you need to know to get started

Though its effectiveness has yet to be proven, the Google Posts program shows promise if you’re looking to post content for local search engine optimization

Quick: as a business owner, what’s the one thing you wish you had when it comes to the web?

If you said, “an easy way to crack search engine optimization,” you’re not alone.

Everyone wants to wave a wand and get better SEO, but the truth is that ranking well in the search engines has always been—and will continue to be—the result of many different factors.

Recently, however, it has become clear that your Google My Business profile plays a significant role in search engine success.

Now a new update to GMB aims to provide yet another way to help your business stand out from the crowd: Posts on Google—otherwise known as Google Posts.

And yes, before you ask—Canadian businesses with a Google My Business are fully eligible to publish Posts. This isn’t just for the US; Google Posts for Canada is a thing, Canucks!

What is “Google Posts?”

Google Posts is a feature of GMB that now allows you to create and post content right on Google. This content appears to rank highly when people use Google to search for your business name.

In other words, it’s an excellent way to get noticed—especially now, when your competitors haven’t jumped on board yet.

You read that right; odds are your competitors are still sleeping on this one. That’s because Google Posts is brand new. So new, in fact, that the program doesn’t even officially have a name… The internet has been calling it “Google Posts,” however, so that’s fine by us.

How Does Google Posts Work?

It’s easy to create a Post directly from Google My Business. Just log in using your computer or your phone, then click on “Posts” in the left-hand menu.

You’ll be prompted to add a photo and create a post of 100 to 300 words, as you see here:

“Since it’s still in its early stages, it’s tough to tell exactly how much benefit you could get from Google Posts; search visibility isn’t precisely calculable, and the limitations haven’t been fully tested. Still, the potential here seems very high considering it takes almost zero effort to create a Post (and it’s free for small businesses).”

I’d also like to add—without getting all “gold rush” on you—that if this sounds like something you’re interested in, get moving.

Yes, the Google Posts program is still in its infancy, and no-one knows whether it’ll be a long-term success from here.

But local business can be competitive… Which means the time is right if you’re trying to get a leg up on the guys down the street.